The atrocities that accompanied the Temple desecrations of AD67 and 70 were not worth staying around for!  Nor will be the time of the Anti-Christ.  But fleeing for your life is a terror-filled experience too.  As has so often happened within living memory and in our generation, notably in Africa and the Balkans, central Asia and the Middle East - what the aggressors see as being justified, is sheer misery to many innocents caught up in the conflict.  

War of any kind, persecution in all its forms, and personal hostility of any sort are horrible.  Jesus does not rationalise the future threat as 'regrettably inevitable collateral damage', nor does He minimise the warning, but neither is He callous.  He has great compassion on the vulnerable for whom a flight for life would be hazardous under any circumstances.  He wants to give adequate warning to give comfort to pregnant women and those with very young children, especially if it is cold or in the rainy season - Jesus has no pleasure in any suffering.

But, you may remember from the previous verses (Mark 13:14-16), this passage is part of a kaleidoscope of prophecy which includes the very last days before Jesus comes again. Jesus' words echo Daniel 12:1 which is an end-times prophecy, anticipating the intensity of antagonism towards God's people prior to His return.  Yes, it will be more extreme than any mayhem so far in history (Revelation 16:1).  Indeed, if those days were not kept on a leash, there would be no survivors.  Even in those darkest of days, the children of God may be confident that their Father is not only the Sustainer, but also the referee who will blow the final whistle.

It would be nice if God only allowed nice things to happen to Christians.  But that would not be the real world, which is corrupt at its core (2 Corinthians 11:24-28).  One day, evil will be seen for what it truly is, with no flesh-comforting camouflage.  There will be no doubt about the righteousness of Jesus in sorting it out.  Then, every knee will have no choice but to bow to Him.  However for those of us who love Him, who 'are waiting for His appearing' (Titus 2:12-14), He will be kind to us ... as He is every day now (Isaiah 54:10).